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Lebanon sewer rates will increase in 2010

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By Justin McClelland, Staff Writer 10:20 AM Tuesday, November 24, 2009

Lebanon City Council approved a 3 percent raise in sewer rates Monday, Nov. 23, but not without disagreement.

The raise, which will take effect Jan. 1, is expected to raise the average resident’s rates by $1.12 a month and will raise approximately $100,000 a year for the fund, according to Lebanon city manager Pat Clements. The money is necessary to maintain cash reserves going forward and would ease the pain of a larger raise that may become necessary in the future, Clements said.

Councilwoman Charleen Flick voted against the increase because she is against large monies from the sewer fund being used to support the general fund.

Jeff Monroe said the city should wait until a rate raise was absolutely necessary to enact one, citing the recent postponement of plans to add new equipment to the waste water facility because of a slow down in the population increase.

“If Lebanon isn’t growing at the rate we need infrastructure, we should wait before we collect the money for these things,” Monroe said.

Clements said while he was troubled by the large charge backs going to the general fund, they are legal and necessary due to the “revenue restraints” on the general fund, which is expected to be in deficit by 2011.

Mayor Amy Brewer said the city needed to keep the service solvent.

“No one like to raise rates, but as a council we have a financial responsibility to make sure all the city services are running and functioning as they should be and pay for themselves, “ Brewer said.

Brewer also said the city needed to be prepared in case the Ohio EPA imposed new regulations on waste water treatment that the city would have to pay for.

Council approved the raise by a slim 4-3 margin. Brewer, Vice Mayor Ben Cole and councilmen Jeff Aylor and Jim Norris voted in favor of the raise, while Flick, Monroe, and councilman Matt Rodriguez were against it.

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